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Predictions of Radionuclide Migration Rates for a Subseabed Repository*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

L. H. Brush*
Affiliation:
Seabed Programs Division 4516, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185
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Abstract

Geochemical research carried out by the U.S. Subseabed Disposal Program is described. Data from studies of high temperature interactions between sediments and porewater (seawater), and of sorption and diffusion of radionuclides in oxidized, deep-sea sediments are used, along with results from heat transfer studies, to predict migration rates of radionuclides in a subseabed repository.

Preliminary results for most radionuclides in oxidized sediments are very encouraging: fission products with moderate values of KD (generally 10 to 10 ml/g), and actinides with high values of KD (generally 103 to 106 ml/g) would not migrate significant distances before decaying to innocous concentrations. 137Cs, 90Sr, and 239Pu are among this group. The results for anionic species are less encouraging, but preliminary work with reduced sediments indicates that Tc can be effectively isolated.

Planning for a field verification of these laboratory and modeling studies is also described.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1982

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Footnotes

*

This work performed at Sandia National Laboratories supported by the U. S. Department of Energy under contract number DE–ACO4–76DP00789.

References

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